


Galas and paintings.

by tonyscapsicle



Series: Of cosmos and daisies sprinkled with sunshine [1]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Artist Steve Rogers, DUM-E is a good bro, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Fluff, Just 2K words of Tony being completely in love with Steve, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Military Uniforms, Natasha Romanov Is a Good Bro, Peggy Carter loves Tony Stark with every inch of life, Slow Dancing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-03
Updated: 2020-06-03
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:46:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,173
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24507883
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tonyscapsicle/pseuds/tonyscapsicle
Summary: He ran his fingers over Steve's nape as he delicately looked at him, "Steve?"Steve hummed as his eyes slipped close, their foreheads touching while they still moved under their comforting muted sways."Will you draw me a daisy?", Steve's lips quirked up in amusement at Tony's question but he didn't open his eyes. He just hummed again.OrThe time when Tony asks Steve to draw him a daisy and Steve gives him exactly that and much more in a way Tony will never forget.Just them being so head over heels in love with each other that the cosmos feels it.
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Series: Of cosmos and daisies sprinkled with sunshine [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1771720
Comments: 2
Kudos: 173





	Galas and paintings.

**Author's Note:**

> I can't get this image of Steve in his uniform dancing with the love of his life out of my head. 
> 
> I also wanted to see Tony being so in love with Steve that his brain doesn't hesitate to short circuit just by looking at him.

He had been radiant under the gleaming lights all night. His eyes crinkling as he smiled at the people telling him stories from back in their day. His hands holding the sentimental old souls while his words held them enamoured.

Tony wouldn't blame anyone. It was stunning how Steve Rogers could feel as gentle as a daisy and as colossal as a nebula. That was by far the most accurate way Tony could describe him.

Tony, somehow that night, didn't have it in him to move his eyes away even for a second, reluctant of missing out on anything. His eyes had been trained on the Captain, decked in his military regalia, happily mixing with the people. Steve was comfortable here, more than he had ever been at the other galas.

It was probably because he finally got to see his pal William in uniform. Steve had met the old man at the Central Park when he went for his morning runs at god-awful hours. He had talked about it over decaf with a sleepy Tony after a workshop binge.

Tony also suspected the event being focused on this particular cause because some certain redhead was eavesdropping when that happened. There were numerous people who had survived the war or their children and grandchildren surrounding him when the redhead dropped in beside him. 

"Thank you.", Tasha said, handing him a sweet drink as she took the whiskey away from his line of vision. She was scarily intuitive but Tony was grateful for that.

"For what?", Tony asked, sipping on the drink as his eyes ran over Natasha's relieved face. 

"It's nice how you did this for Steve even when you knew that you'll have to talk about Howard if people ask.", Natasha turned around in her seat, watching Steve and Thor talk to another little kid who was probably someone's grandchild. 

"I don't ever doubt the extents I'd go for Steve. Honestly? It's not like I can run from my dead father.", Tony reasoned with a small twitch of his lips as Natasha reflected back his hesitant smile. 

She probably whispered along the lines of _'no, you can't'_ under her breath. There was this momentary silence in which she tried to comfort him in her own way without words. 

"Incoming.", she warned with a whisper and loving smile as she walked away from him, hooking her arms with Bruce who was trying to blend in again. Seconds later, Steve took that place beside him. 

"I'm hoping those shoes aren't your favourite.", Steve winced as he looked at them and his gaze flitted back soon to Tony's amused face, fixing on the warm brown eyes. 

When Tony made a confused noise, Steve continued, "Martha there, asked me to have some sense and go dance with my sweetheart. I'm just hoping I accidentally know how to dance from all the time we spent trying to make my two left feet know how to." Expectant blue eyes with a glimmer of fear held Tony in his place.

There was this faded undercurrent of a memory of Steve finally getting his dance, holding Aunt Peggy in his arms in that old age home as both of them swayed slowly with wet eyes. Tony's fingers tapping a rhythm to Harry James' voice singing _'It's been a long, long time.'_ as he stared dreamily with love at his aunt finally getting her dance. 

She had soon stepped back in fatigue and content, pulling Tony in and kissing his head in gratefulness before pushing Tony gently in Steve's arms to continue that dance. Steve's arm tightening around his waist without a second amiss.

Tony had been reluctant to take her place, but she had just smiled so warmly, reminding him that her place was with her children and the man she had loved and had a family with. 

The world had moved on and so had she. So will Steve. She just hoped it'll be with Tony. She had held her godson lovingly telling him that a man didn't look at someone else the way Steve looked at Tony if he wasn't soul deep in love. 

_'So go dance'_ , she had urged as her sunken eyes still shone with the same happiness.

And Tony did. Months of dating had done nothing to calm the fear in Tony to confess but his aunt had. In a smile. So he had danced with Steve who stepped on his toes and apologized everytime with a kiss and when the moon was up in the sky that night, Steve had whispered to Tony telling him how much he loved him. 

It wasn't like they hadn't danced before. They had. In the confines of their bedroom. Or in Tony's workshop with DUM-E swaying behind them holding a holographic jukebox he learnt to use from god-knows-where. Or the Tower's roof, under the fireworks that coloured the sky on Steve's birthday. _More like America's birthday._

It took a whole of embarrassing ten seconds for Tony to realise what was happening. He knew how much dancing had always meant for Steve, he knew what Steve was offering. 

He just felt a bit stupid that he ever doubted Steve wouldn't want to take him to dancing wearing fancy clothes under the gazes of the people who had seen him fight the world war themselves. _Genius, more like emotionally stunted._ It also was endearingly similar to everything Steve had dreamed to do when the war ended. 

"Suave, Captain Rogers. That was a good one.", Tony stuttered out, finishing his drink in a go. He looked back at a relieved Steve, slowly standing up and offering a hand. 

"Preposterous? I know. I'm still the stuttering idiot in love around you.", Steve had sarcastically said, which didn't feel a whole lot sarcastic. Tony's hand slipped in Steve's, being led to where people were slow dancing in their own worlds.

"You think I'm any different?", Tony had mumbled under the next hitch of his breath as Steve pulled him closer, moving them in gentle sways and twirling Tony with mischievous glee.

Tony narrowed his eyes at him as his hands slipped around Steve's neck, latching in place before Steve could twirl him again, "You are surprisingly not fussy today."

Steve bent forward, muffling his laugh in Tony's hair, "The amount of faith you have in me is astonishing."

Tony just shrugged innocently and kept prodding at Steve, making noises of curiosity until Steve gave in.

"Stop disturbing me. I've been trying to channel my inner Tony Stark all night.", Steve took a deep breath, trying to suppress his grin into a mocking smirk and failing very successfully. 

"Oh, you've seen the inner Tony Stark.", Tony smirked, turning his charms blindingly on as he flirted shamelessly with Steve.

"Yeah. That's exactly what you should talk about when old curious ears are trying to listen in.", Steve bit back, turning Tony amidst sway and muttering a soft ' _45 degrees'._

Tony did take a very discreet peep to find a very dreamy Martha gossiping loudly as she stared at them in happiness. Tony gave a slight giggle as he ducked his head back in, resting it on Steve's chest. 

He could care less about being decent by dancing half a foot away so he leaned his entire tired body on Steve and let Steve direct him in gentle waves. 

"Moreover, the inner Tony Stark is also a stuttering idiot as much as I have seen. And I've seen loads. Suave, my ass.", Steve's voice drew Tony back from his haze.

Tony's face broke out in a smile again at the claim. Well, his super-soldier wasn't wrong. But still Tony being Tony rather replied suggestively, "Your ass is mighty fine."

Steve pressed a kiss on Tony's forehead, digging his fingers a little deeper where they held Tony's waist absentmindedly, "Sure Tony, keep going."

Tony gave up, resting his head back on Steve's chest letting the river of thoughts finally flood his brain at once. He ran his fingers over Steve's nape as he delicately looked at Steve, "Steve?"

Steve hummed as his eyes slipped close, their foreheads touching while they still moved under their comforting muted sways.

"Will you draw me a daisy?", Steve's lips quirked up in amusement at Tony's question but he didn't open his eyes. He just hummed again. 

"I want to hang it besides the ' _DUM-E as a prawn'_ drawing you made me.", Tony whispered with a grin because he knew Steve wouldn't question that, instead flushing red like he was now.

Steve dropped his head on Tony's shoulder, groaning and chuckling at the same time, "I won't ever drink Asgardian mead again. I don't want to know how you got that drawing."

Tony's fingers were busy adjusting Steve's medals but Tony could barely string a thought together being held this close, this good. All he wanted to do was hang onto Steve and wish he would whisk Tony away. 

He shrugged at Steve, his heart-eyes probably evident as Steve bent him backwards kissing him until Tony's eyes shut close, his body went lax and his toes curled. 

Tony broke away, whispering again as his eyes burnt, "Can you also draw me a cosmos?" Steve gave a shaky laugh as he pecked Tony's lip sweetly again, "I'll draw you anything you want, sweetheart. Forever." 

•••

Tony woke up to a soft kiss on his forehead like he always did. Usually it was just Steve giving him one last peck before he went for his run. It felt different when he woke up to warm arms and the smell of coffee wafting all around him.

Steve had sat there looking at Tony stretching and curling up in the blankets, reluctant to go for today's run. Tony had kept looking at the love of his life, still wondering how he got to wake up to this. 

And then he was pushing Steve outside the door, laughing and reminding Steve how he will be stiff and complaining later. 

Just hours later, Tony was completely sunken in the programs, his hands fumbling on the table as he searched for the chip to put in the modulator's back panel. It was probably how he noticed the corner of his table clean, which was weird because the table is never supposed to be clean. 

Even DUM-E knows that. Which probably meant it was Steve trying to annoy him again.

He shook his head, strolling there in search of his chip. What he hadn't expected to find was a painting. A beautiful mess of colours with little stars and the black space, the little Iron Man post-it stuck on the table besides it. _Cosmos,_ Tony had said.

_You didn't tell me where you wanted to hang this though._ Steve's familiar curvy handwriting on the note with a little blotch of paint sent a wave of overwhelming love through Tony's entire being.

Somehow that had made Tony snap his head towards DUM-E'S charging space where a _prawn-DUM-E_ hung on the wall. This time, though, there was also a painting of a daisy besides it. Sprinkled with sunshine. Just like Tony had imagined Steve last night. Exactly the way Steve had now put Tony's thoughts in a single painting. 

His feet slowly took him to the painting, his hands outstretched craving to touch it when he saw the ring. Nestled in the open box, it glinted off the holographic blue as Tony slowly picked it up. His mind clicking the pieces together as his eyes felt wet and his heart heavy with love.

"I've been sitting here for an hour, wishing you'd just look up on your own and find it. I didn't want to upset DUM-E by ruining his plan.", Steve's voice filled in.

Tony wasn't surprised as he turned towards Steve. He was used to not noticing people being there besides him when he was in his zone. Tony tried using his words but he couldn't, his head felt light in happiness. 

"So? Will you marry me?", Steve sauntered towards him, his grin proof enough that he already knew the answer. Instead of trying a word more, Tony just nodded as he let those tears leak out.

He was graced with one of Steve's daisy smiles as a warm hand wiped the corners of Tony's eyes, the ring box eased out of his fingers. 

The feeling of the cold metal on his ring finger was probably what kick-started his brain again. He flung himself on Steve, being caught mid-air as he laughed, "You had to take help from DUM-E?"

Steve stared at him unabashed, "He insisted. I mean JARVIS, Pepper and Rhodey knew. Butterfingers and U did, too. But DUM-E wanted to help so bad."

Tony kept laughing, his legs wrapping around Steve's waist muttering along the words of _'man-child'_ as he slightly punched Steve's arm.

Steve's softened eyes were contradicting his mischievous smile, "Abuse. Already, Mr. Stark-Rogers?"

Tony laughed along in disbelief and agreement that they were definitely hyphenating their last names as Steve carried him out of the workshop. 

**Author's Note:**

> There's nothing that feels as good as them being in their own little world, dancing lightly and loving each other with their entire soul.
> 
> Also yes, there are times when I myself can just describe feelings as inanimate objects or colours, it happens more often than it should actually. Tony seeing Steve as a daisy or as a nebula was him feeling that undescribable urge.
> 
> The thing that affected me the most was that Steve deserved to get his dance with Peggy, the one in which they had both moved on and Steve respected her and the future she had developed for the family she had.  
> The one in which he didn't just go back in time to disrupt the life she had created for herself. 
> 
> Rather this one in which she nudged her godson to know what he had and hold onto the man who loved him so much. It felt vital because that's exactly what Peggy has always felt like to me.


End file.
